time_to_go_now
La Mirada, CA
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Joined: 03/10/2004
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juzplanekrazy wrote:Going to all the work and cost of installing a good inverter is not for everybody. But if you like you’re quiet time with out the drone of a generator running. It's well worth it.
Very well said. I installed a 2000 watt Prosine in my Class C that I just sold. It was wired through a sub-panel. I did not realize how much I would miss having an inverter!
Our new Class A does not have an inverter...yet. We have been on three beach trips this summer with generator quiet hours between 8 pm and 10 am. I really, really, REALLY miss having an inverter!
I just purchased a remanufactured Prosine 2000 for $699 with a one year warranty. I just recieved my 4/0 cable. I made a new battery tray and installed two more golf cart batteries. But, our dry camping trips are over for this summer. Our next three trips all have electrical hook ups. So, the inverter install is no longer my number one priority, but, it will be installed once the kids get back in school!
I guess it is like most things. I never knew what I was missing until I had one. Now, I find it hard to live without an inverter.
Good Luck.
Jim and Deanna
Tiffin Allegro 35QBA
2007 Carson Trailer 22' Titan TH
Trailer Toad
Me, Wife, Boy/10, Boy/7, Girl/5
Faith/Springer
1985 Toyota 4Runner
five quads, three kids, two motorcycles, one wife, one dog, one cat!
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travelnutz
West Michigan - On the Lakeshore
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Joined: 04/09/2006
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Juzplanekrazy,
Your installation looks good. I did notice it does take quite a lot of compartment space though and leaves the wiring exposed to possible damage from stored items when bouncing down the road or loading/unloading the storage compartment. I didn't want that. I had opted for a system that only takes a fraction of that amount of space and easily fits in a non-usable areas of the RV basement or storage areas. In the Lance Camper, the main incoming 30A relay box is under the sink and hidden in the corner next to the water heater against the outside wall. The refrigerator 10A relay box is between the refrigerator and the propane box where there's a dead un-usable storage space. The wires run thru the water tank enclosure so nothing can be seen by the eye or anything could touch, scuff, or snag the wires etc. Therefore, the wiring protection measures are kept to a bare minimum as is the costs for components you don't need. Pictures wouldn't help because you can't see the enclosure boxes in any of the installations I have done. It was just the way I preferred to do it as most people are so cost conscious.
Transfer switches are one way of accompolishing the task also but their costs are very high compared to a fully enclosed DPDT relay which is what a transfer switch is. I buy 30A DPDT fully enclosed relays for under $20. at a local electrical supply house and put them in a simple cheap PLASTIC square duplex wiring outlet box with a screwed on cover (about 1.30 at Home Depot). The fully enclosed 10A DPDT relay costs approx $8.50 at the same electrical store. They fit in a cheap PLASTIC single outlet duplex box with a screwed on cover (about $.87 each). I priced transfer switches like you have shown and they were between approx $58. and $134. each. Nothing wrong with using a transfer switch other than the big cost penalty and size. Either way, all you are doing is switching the current input source cleanly and totally from one source to another. I have wired 13 RV's and helped several others now for myself and friends with inverters that I can remember off-hand. They all turned out fine with zero problems and still going strong. Never had a relay fail yet! I have always put the relays inside a non-conductive enclosure to assure the wire connections can't be accidently shorted out or touched. I believe in going the extra mile to make sure thing are safe for anyone who may get near an item or installation
2004 Chev 2500HD D/A crew cab LB 4X4 - Air Bags - Loaded
915 Lance Camper with 2'X 8' rear porch (my own design n build)
29 ft Carri-lite 5th wheel - 1 large slide - specially built
36 ft Carriage - 3 axle 5'er -NOW SOLD- Looking at some new 5'ers
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juzplanekrazy
Huntington Beach Ca.
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Joined: 02/18/2006
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travelnutz, the area those transfer switches are in are behind the basement door and very much out of harms way. In your case with the camper, you need to conserve space at every opportunity. I did go to the extreme to setup the system I have. I was so paranoid at the time about adding pin weight to my SRW truck I placed the 4 6V's under the floor of toy hauler garage along with my inverter and charger. I learned along the way that's for sure. I was also paranoid the wife or even I would forget to flip a switch or mess with plugs, so I went to the 2 transfer switches. If I had the truck I have now I would have placed the whole mess in the front bay by the generator.
All in all I'm happy as hell with it, and just couldn't live without and Inverter now. Like "time to go now" says, once you see what a inverter is good for, you can't live without one.
Charger-Inverter-Monitoring Gauges-Main Switch for rear batterys- And charging box for RC planes and cell phone.
4 6V bat's under TH floor to run Inverter.(switchable to run house 12V if needed)
Front 2 6V's to run house 12V lighting.
Solar controller (switchable to any 1 bank of 2 bat's or all.)
* This post was
edited 08/05/08 12:16pm by juzplanekrazy *
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javaseuf
Southern Cal
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Joined: 03/30/2005
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I have one and wouldn't be without it. A 1000 watt with auto tranfer switch, along with two 6-volt batteries, gives me all the power I need to run our daughter's medical equippment and the TV and satellite receiver from around 11:00 pm through 11:00 am the next morning. I then re-charge with a genny for about 3 hours.
Steve
2007 Springdale 291RKL
2003 F150 King Ranch
2001 Dodge Van w/Wheelchair Ramp
1991 Palomino Mustang PUP
Eureka Timberline Tent
Yamaha IF2400isc
Yamaha EF3000iSEBC
"Politically Incorrect And Proud Of It" 
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wschep
West Michigan
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Joined: 08/05/2008
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Travelnutz,
Being from west michigan, can you tell me the part number and where you get your DPDT relays from
Thanks
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travelnutz
West Michigan - On the Lakeshore
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Joined: 04/09/2006
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wschep,
Fitzpatrick Electric Supply in Grand Haven usually, or in Muskegon, over the last approx 18 years. All-Phase Electric a couple times too. I haven't bought one in the last 9 months or so so I don't know if there have been recent product changes. I'd have to go pull one of the relay boxes asm's out of the RV to get one of the part numbers. You don't really need the part number because there isn't a lot of choice in DPDT 120V coil sealed relays other than the rated amperage. Fitzpatrick always had them in stock in the 10A, 25A, and 30A size everytime I bought them. 10A is all that's needed for the refrigerator. BTW, I always wired the refrigerator separately with it's own 10A relay so the rest of the coach wasn't powered with 120V AC when running down the road unless I wanted it to be. Just the refrigerator. The relay's have a clear plastic housing so you can see the contacts and solenoid actuate. They are very small is size. 10A is approx 1 1/4" square X and 2 1/2" long and the 25A and 30A are approx 1 1/4" X 2" X 2 1/2" long. A rough estimate as it depends on which manufacturer's relay they have in stock at the time. Most of mine were "Square D" brand.
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travelnutz
West Michigan - On the Lakeshore
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Joined: 04/09/2006
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juzplanekrazy,
I got a little carried away with my first inverter installation attempt also so I can relate. Got smarter with time though! We also WOULDN"T BE WITHOUT our inverters either. 1500 watt in the TC and 2500 watt in either 5'er and 2500 watt in the boats. Had a 2500 watt in 2 motorhomes too. We also carry a 750 watt and a 400 watt inverter along with us for localized use. We'd rather have an inverter than a generator if we had to make a choice between them. RV'ers in the very hot climates would probably choose the generator so they can hide inside in the A/C. We can recharge the inverter battery banks so fast with the optional dual alternators I added when we ordered the diesel truck. Diesel engines use incredibly little fuel when idling and the Duramax is so quiet you can't even hear it idling a campsite away. We've asked! We usually get about 4 years life from the deep cycle batteries before we buy new ones.
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travelnutz
West Michigan - On the Lakeshore
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Joined: 04/09/2006
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wschep,
Grand Rapids is a very large city and area and will have lots of variety of electrical supply centers if you are near there.
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wschep
West Michigan
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Joined: 08/05/2008
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travelnutz,
Thanks for all the information. I am adding an inverter to my 25RKS Jayco. I added 2 more storage tanks that have allowed me to enjoy a lot of rustic camping in West Michigan, We can go 2 weeks with hot showers everyday. 
wschep
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Camp*Queen
Northern Michigan
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Joined: 07/09/2008
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I have a question....
My brother just got a 1700 watt inverter for his 5er off Ebay and
he hooked the inverter directly up to the battery (very large battery) and then he pluged his rig's electrical cord into the inverter and it runs the whole rig just like he is plugged into a regular 110v outlet on shore. Is this a good way to run the inverter??
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